


A Confrontation Gone Wrong.

by SummerAngel



Category: RWBY
Genre: Chapter 1 is Bad, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Im sorry to Ironwood fans, Ozpin Papa Wolf to Son Boy Oscar, The rest is fluffy as heck with minor flashbacks to past events, for real, implied past Ozpin/James, upsetting content ahead doot doot sound the alarm
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-03-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:48:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22573516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SummerAngel/pseuds/SummerAngel
Summary: Oscar confronts Ironwood in the vault, except it doesn't end like how it does in canon, somehow everything is even worse.Bad Terrible Non Canon AU where James Ironwood's paranoia and anger at Ozpin is cranked up to 11 mixed with previously established relationship!Ozpin/James with a dash of once again Oscar getting badly caught in the crossfire of Oz's failed relationships.I don't actually hate Ironwood as a character, despite this uh, story. it's just his face and mannerisms just remind me of stuff so I wanted to get this out of my system.There is a lot of hurt and very bad stuff in this, but the story itself is more meant to focus on Hurt/Comfort between Oz and Oscar. Oz goes full Papa Wolf for his son boy Oscar. This is not the story you are looking for if you're looking for anything good for Ironwood.
Relationships: Jaune Arc & Oscar Pine, Oscar Pine & Everyone, Oscar Pine & Lie Ren, Oscar Pine & Nora Valkyrie, Ozpin & Oscar Pine
Comments: 71
Kudos: 161





	1. Confrontation

"Please, why cant we work on this together. Why cant we talk? What do we have to lose from that now, James?"

Oscar and James stand at each other from across the room. Oscar looks tired and strained, while James's impassive face is marred only by a slight irritation. "....My friends call me James. And you were once at least a friend, weren't you Oz?"

James peers at him with cold calculating eyes and slowly moves towards him. "Or was that all a lie too?"

Oscar can't meet his gaze and takes a step back feeling conflicted, unable to say that he never lied to James. The guilt creeps into him as he also doesn't realize the corner hes being slowly backed into, James continuing to advance on him as he leans into his accusations. His fears. "You've done nothing but lie to me from the start. You've done nothing but continue to lie to me since you got here. Why should I listen to you, Ozpin? When you can't even face me and admit that you're standing here right in front of me?"

Oscar looked up in confusion. "What?"

"We both know how this works, and we both know it doesn't take this long. The boy's already long gone isn't he Ozpin?"

Oscar feels cold icy fear run through his veins at the thought that his time is already long past overdue, like he could lose himself at any moment. Is that why Oz locked himself away? Was that the truth? But James mistakes the sudden fear on Oscar's face for an admission of guilt, a shock of being found out, and his mind is set. "It's true isn't? You've been here since you landed, but you kept up the farce of pretending to be someone else to protect yourself from your enemies."

James grit his teeth. Anger and hurt and betrayal flowing through his mind and heart. The paranoia of wondering where and when the betrayal started, of wondering how long Oz had simply been using him only making it worse. "Is that how you've seen me from the start? As an enemy? As someone you had to keep under your control?"

Oscar felt bombarded with questions he doesn't know how to even answer, questions not even aimed at him that he even could answer, as he tries to find the words to speak through his frustration. "No! None of this true! I AM Oscar! We're not your enemy!"

James retorted back bitterly. "And neither were you my lover, all this time. You lied to me about everything, and I was a fool to take it all. Hook, link and sinker."

He could feel his mind twisting at the betrayal, his heart hardening at the embarassment of being made a fool of by someone he thought close to him. He won't make that same mistake again.

Adding confusion to his frustration of how to deal with everything was not a good mix for Oscar's ability to think things through, as he was taken for a loop by the sudden curveball that Oz and James had a previous relationship, completely unknown to him. Seems like Oz didn't really wanna tell him the truth about a lot of stuff, he thought uncomfortably. But Oz's relationships weren't really his business anyway, right? But actually they are, because he is him, or will be him. His thoughts were also still not finished with the fear of his soul being on borrowed time already. 

"Lover?? You and Oz? Wha-That doesn't matter right now-" James eyes filled with coldness and irritation turned to anger. "-No that's not- Look, Oz isn't here! He's locked himself away in my mind somewhere. I'm not Ozpin and I don't want to fight you." James just strides more confidently up to Oscar, having made some sort decision. Oscar just backs away while holding his gaze, resisting the trembling urge in his fingers to reach for Oz's cane, lest James see that as an attempt to start a fight with him. But Oscar's heart continued to fill with confusion, fear and doubt as he tries to convince Ironwood of his own already unsteady position of not really knowing himself where Oz ends and he begins.

"Listen to me. I AM Oscar. I'm not Ozpin. I don't know what he's thinking, or what he's feeling, I have none of his memories right now, especially any involving you! We have no connection right now, he's blocked it somehow, I don't know know to bring him back!"

Oscar only now belated realizes he's up against a wall, accidently walking back into it as he stops desperately yelling. Ironwood comes closer and reaches his hand out towards him and Oscar nearly grabs his cane then and there, but is caught off guard when James instead gently places it on his head. His fingers softly moved through his hair, his face looking tired but empty, as if he suddenly understood, and Oscar let down his guard for only a moment, relieved to think this misunderstanding could still somehow be salvaged.

"Then let's jog that memory of yours, shall we Oz?" But Ironwoods hands just clenched roughly in Oscars hair as he suddenly yanked his head, pulling almost his entire body forward with it and then slammed his head back into the wall at full force. It was hard enough to shatter what was left of Oscar's aura and leaving him reeling on the ground holding the back of his skull, gasping from the thunderclap of pain. With one hand still on his head Oscar fumbles to grasp for Oz's cane where it had fallen to the ground with him, but Ironwood is already upon him.

First Ironwood pinned down the arm reaching out for the cane, then painfully twisted that arm backwards to meet with the other arm already behind his back with trained military precision. Oscar barely had the time to react with a cry of pain as his arms were painfully held in place with a pair of hard light cuffs. He then shoves Oscar back upright onto his knees again, back pressed against the wall. Oscar's eyes were heavy with yet unshed tears as he tried to shake off the vertigo of being tossed about and having the back of his head smashed in. 

Oscar winces again as Ironwood grasps his hair, pulling at the roots and forces his head up. Oscar opens his eyes, but immediately freezes as soon as he gets his bearings. He doesn't know how to react to the impossible sight of Ironwood suddenly lowering the hem of his pants enough to pull out his cock and start jerking it off at his face.

"What-what are you doing!?" Oscar faced turned red with sharp embarassment as turns his wide-eyed gaze away in disbelief, avoiding looking at anything of Ironwood's as much as physically possible. Extremely uncomfortable and nervous with what the situation had suddenly turned into. He was expecting to fight with Ironwood when things went south, not, whatever the hell this is. 

"St-Stop doing that!" Oscar tries to lean his face as far away as possible as Ironwood moves in a little closer, moves his hand a little rougher, but his other hand painfully clenched in Oscar's hair and doesn't let him go far. "You used to do this for me all the time Ozpin, don't you remember? When you wanted to buy my trust the first time around, didn't you? Why don't you open your mouth and we'll see if that trick works on me again."

Oscar twists away in disgust and starts to yell "I'm NOT-" But Ironwood moves close enough to press himself against Oscar's face and Oscar snaps his mouth and eyes shut, his face scrunching up in disgust and his stomach twisting with sudden panic. Nausea slowly rising in him as Ironwood doesn't move away, just stays where he is, rubbing against him. Oscar desperately tries to ignore the gross feeling of Ironwood actually getting hard against his cheek and real terror starts sinking in at the thought that he's serious about this, he's really doing this, he really expects him to do this. 

Oscar flinches his eyes open at the sound of a gun cocking and the feel of cold metal pressed against his forehead. Eyes full of terror look up at Ironwood, one of his hands on the gun pressed against Oscar's forehead, the other moved to hold down Oscar's tense shoulder in a tight grip. Oscar's thoughts swarm in panic, a few tears escaping as he tries to figure out what's going on. Why is he doing this. How can I stop this, How can I convince him about Ozpin, but can't think of anything in his fear except to reiterate the truth hoping it'll get through to him. "Stop this. I-" and is harshly cut off by another command.

"I'm not asking again. Open your mouth." Oscars just scrunches his face up and clenches his mouth again, but no longer able to hold back the flow of tears down his face. Shivering from the effort to keep his mouth closed and take his now panicking breaths through his nose as he tries to think of how to get away without speaking or opening his mouth or moving his arms. A shudder of fear and disgust running through him as he can feel Ironwood press closer, that piece of his body sliding over Oscar's cheek from his own tears. Oscar desperately tried to ignore the feeling and just hoped that all of this would just magically stop happening somehow on it's own. 

But there was no such miracle, as the hand on his shoulder moves over towards his neck and the thumb moved up to his throat, feeling Oscar instinctively swallow to hold his words in, before moving up and over Oscar's chin. Ironwood's hand now at his face, on his other cheek, and thumb on his lips. His body pressed in against his lips to try to open his mouth by force, as Oscar twists his head away only to feel the gun press in harder, a silent warning. 

The hand on his face moves away, but the presence remains near the corner of his mouth. Oscar was too afraid to move away, but still would not unclench his jaw. Suddenly the hand crushes Oscar's throat hard enough to make him gasp in reflex, and this small opening was enough for Ironwood to push his length past Oscar's lips, roughly shoving it down past his tongue and all the way to the back of his throat, making Oscar gag and try to twist his head away, his legs kicking out uselessly against the floor, his arms not able to undo their bindings. But the force of Ironwood's body pushed his body back against the wall. And Ironwood forced that part of himself down into Oscar's throat, as more tears fell down Oscar's face from the painful force used to stretch something that wasn't meant to be stretched that far. Ironwood's free hand going back to his hair holding him in place against the wall. The much too large object in his throat pressed against his airways, blocking them almost entirely. Oscar's body started to desperately twist and move as he choked on the sudden intrusion, but then Ironwood pulled back out as Oscar gasped for air, barely having enough time for a terrified breath before Ironwood shoved back and started a quick rougher pace. 

Oscar could only focus on trying to breathe, not able to see anything through stinging tears of pain as he was completely pinned in place against the wall by Ironwood's movements. His thoughts overflowing with a growing panic as he kept trying to drag in enough air in between the shocking pain and choking blockage inside him. His whole body squirming trying to get free, hands desperately painfully pulling at the bounds behind him as he couldn't get enough air. Breathing itself becoming painful from the soreness in his throat that he wasn't built to take. It kept going, hurting worse as Ironwood picked up the pace and pushed back harder, going deeper, holding him without breath for longer each time. And Oscar was filled with the horror and terror that Ironwood was willing to let him suffocate like this as his vision started to go spotty. 

And then the man towering above him suddenly stopped, shoving all the way in like he did at the start. He went still above him and pulsed inside, giving some small gasps of his own, as Oscar's mouth was flooded with a bitter saltiness that stung and made him instinctively try to retch and cough it out. Ironwood still kept him held forcefully in place against the wall, continuing to attempt to go deeper and Oscar was eventually forced to swallow some of the liquid as the pressure of it forced his way into his throat, threatening to have him actually choke on it. Only after did Ironwood finally pull away from him as Oscar heaved in fast desperate coughs, fear and panic and lack of air taking over completely. Oscar was now not even trying to stop crying as he started hyperventilating and shaking at the shock of nearly suffocating like this at gunpoint. 

Each quick shaky intake of breath was accompanied by solidifying feelings of icy terror as Ironwood lifted his head back up to coldly stare into Oscar's terrified crying face as spoke again. "Are you ready to drop this facade now Oz?"

Oscar just burst into desperate stronger sobs, his whole body shaking in fear as he hoarsely cried out over and over. "I'm not Ozpin I'm Oscar please I'm telling you the truth I'm Oscar I'm not Ozpin-" but with the sobbing and crying it was just turning into terrified babbling.

James just fumed as he still wasn't getting the answer from Ozpin that he wanted. Wasn't getting the apology he thought he deserved. And then he shoved Oscar back onto the ground and flipped him over, pinning his legs down with his knees and pressing his arms painfully into Oscar's cuffed hands, drawing a sharp breath from Oscar. "You never could just trust me with the truth could you!?" 

He roughly hiked Oscar's shirt up his back and over his hands and tore down his pants down Oscar's knees as Oscar tensed in fear and started pleading with fresh tears. "Stop this get off of me please stop this don't do this-"

"And now this is the situation we've found ourselves in because of it!!" One of Ironwood's hands again angrily grasped Oscar's hair. His other hand gripped Oscar's thigh so hard it started bruising. Oscar's scared repeated pleas falling over and over again on angry deaf ears.

"Grimm everywhere, people dying and rioting, this city falling apart and Salem right at our front door step all because you couldn't stand to tell me the goddamn truth!!" Anger twisting his face and his heart, empty of everything except the desire to lash out at the person who made everything go so wrong for him.

Oscar felt Ironwood's hands dig into his thighs harder, pushing them down and apart as he started to press his length against Oscar's body, pushing louder breathless cries from Oscar's mouth, "Stop I don't want this, why are you doing this to me, I don't understand, I don't want this, please stop, I don't-" His words cut off in terror as Ironwood just ignored and started pushing inside. Oscar tried twisting his already pained body away, but the man above him, crushing him, was too heavy to push away. His iron grip too solid to move out away from.

Oscar, tears streaming down his face, with faster frightened breaths and sobs, was no longer pleading to the man above him to stop. His voice now desperate to reach the other person who had made himself blind and deaf to the outside world. "Ozpin help me, please hear me, I can't do this, I'm scared Ozpin I can't do this I cant stop it please Ozpin I'm scared please hear me-" Ironwood just ignored the boy, continuing instead his own unanswered rant.

"After everything we've done, and everything we've been through together you betray me too and you keep lying to me! I'VE HAD ENOUGH!" James suddenly angrily thrust himself all the way inside of the trembling body trapped underneath him. Oscar froze, wide eyed and winded, from the sharp pain of the sudden force used.

There was a silent moment before Ironwood started moving, and pained uncontrolled gasps tore themselves out of Oscar's already raspy throat with Ironwood's every movement. Oscar just gave up trying to speak entirely as his soul practically tore itself apart desperately reaching out for the connection that the other had blocked inside them. Overwhelmed in pain and terror, his thoughts devolved into repeated one word pleas.

-help. stop. hurts. cant. Ozpin. please. hurts. Ozpin. help. please. stop. hurts. Ozpin. please-

Before Oscar was suddenly able to reach through whatever invisible barrier had been blocking their souls, and instantly the thread of their emotional connection was flooded with terror/panic/revulsion/desperation.

-Oscar stumbled through the shattered wall, running right against against Oz's surprised back. His arms desperately holding onto him from behind, hands grasping his jacket, pulling him closer as his mouth opened to scream/cry/yell/sob-

Ozpin's eyes instantly snapped open, glowing in fury and expecting a fight, but instead his body was ragged and shaking, he couldn't move his hands, his whole body was quaking from the pain and the shock and adrenaline from the panic and he burned from the pain of the familiar physical movements of the man holding him down from above.

-Ozpin sharply turned, squeezing the shaking boy in his embrace. Pushing back against the flood of pain and terror in their connection with waves of protective fury-

Breathless anger and disbelief overtook Oz as he realized the nature of the situation Oscar was in, and he twisted back to look at James in a disgusted rage. "James have you lost your mind!? This is a CHILD!" James just looked back at Ozpin with angry narrowed eyes as the figure below start panting and shaking for a different reason. Righteous Fury was in the gaze directed back at him, Oz gritting his teeth harder at every harsh thrust. Irritated at the expression, Ironwood starting driving down harder into him causing Ozpin to gasp breathlessly despite himself. Ironwood just moved in closer to Oz's head and he viciously spat back at him right in his ear. "This is a man getting what he deserves!" 

Which would be his mistake as Oz forcefully threw his head up, headbutting him back right into his face. James reeled back at the sudden blow to his head, likely breaking his nose with the action, giving Oz a chance to push over onto his back and then kick hard upwards, his heel connecting with Ironwood's chin in a solid hit, knocking Ironwood onto his back, winding him and buying Ozpin enough time to get up. He brought his bound hands beneath his feet and back up to his front, rolling to his side slightly to quickly push up and stand, backing away to where his cane had fallen before while fixing his pants as best he could to not trip on them for the upcoming fight. For it would be a fight, they were long past being able to talk this out, then suddenly flashes of memory, of conversation, stumbling out from the panic inside their connection.

-I'm not Ozpin!-  
-I'm not asking again.-  
-I'm not Ozpin I'm Oscar please I'm telling you the truth I'm Oscar I'm not Ozpin-  
-You never could trust me with the truth could you!?-

Ozpin shook with a rage, adrenaline surging through him, but also his heart wrenched in anguish and guilt as he realized this assault was aimed at him from the start.

Ironwood stumbled back up, eyes blazing, face bloody as Oz continued to meet his gaze with equal fury. He then picked up his cane from the ground and then ran towards James not allowing him a chance to collect himself before he attacked. But James was expecting the cane, knowing Oz, and deflected it aside before full on punching Ozpin in the face. It hit him hard, Oz not realizing Oscar's aura had already been shattered. That fact just made him angrier and Oz wanted to rage at James for everything he's done to Oscar, but the guilt of knowing it was supposed to be him and not Oscar, knowing it was his fault this was even happening in the first place, his fault that Oscar was already in so much pain made the words die on his tongue.

James though had wasted no time time after he had thrown his punch to reach back for his gun and aim. Oz barely had time to react and dodge before Ironwood shot. Missing him by a hair as he twisted around out of danger, but hitting the cuffs, damaging them enough that Oz could then rip them off. Another flash through the connection.

-fear and panic and lack of air taking over completely. Oscar was now not even trying to stop crying as he started hyperventilating at the shock of-

Oz surged back through their connection, fighting back the rising emotional tide in a tightly held calm fury. His eyes locked onto his opponent who was already readying another shot and his heart enveloped Oscar's, holding his shaking soul steady.

-Oscar. It's alright, I'm here. You're not going to die. Not to him. Not like this.-

Hands reaching forward.

-gently places it on his head. His fingers softly moved through his hair, his face looking tired but empty-

Two gunshots rang out in quick succession as the fight was over far too quickly. 

One of Oz's hands was on Ironwood's head, fingers carded through his hair, the other grasped around the gun he'd forced to twist the other way, pointed back directly into the tinman's heart. Oz felt his weight slowly increase on him as James's aura sparked and shattered from the first shot, and then he fell forward, past Oz, with the second, slipping against his shoulder as he fell to the ground in a heap. Oz just slowly sat down next to him, one hand still holding the smoking gun, as the other hand fell down on top of James's back. Gripping his shirt, hands still shaking from too many different emotions.

As the moments of silence and stillness passed Oz finally felt his body untense and tears escaped alongside his shaking breaths, before quickly wiping his face with his hands stumbling through his anger and grief to reach out to Oscar again.

-Oscar, it's okay now. You're safe now. I'm so sorry. I promise I'll keep you safe. I'm so sorry.-

The air was filled with silence and Oz's shaky breathing.

Ozpin could only stare into the distance and wait, expecting Oscar to jump back in control as soon as he could.

His worry increased as time continued to pass and Oz was still here and alone. His heart full of pain as he called out again.

-Oscar-

Silence.

Fumbling for the threads of connection inside him Ozpin grew more concerned as they only led deeper inside, he closed his eyes-

-and ran back to a scared boy huddled on the ground reaching out to him, relief flowing through him as Oscar reached back out to him as well. He held him for a moment, but when Oz tried to lift him up and back out, trying to stand them up, Oscar resisted. He was holding on to him tighter and pulled Oz back, shaking as he held him closer, his head against his chest, crying in this soundless emotional landscape. Oz put his arms back around Oscar covering as much as possible in the embrace and leaned his head over his, trying to soothe away the terror that surrounded them-

"Oscar! What happened? Where are you right now?" Jaune's voice called out from nowhere.

Oz blinked as he was pulled back out of their internal head space by the voice calling out from the phone, belatedly realizing Oscar had not come back out with him.

"Oscar!" Oz grabbed the phone out to answer.

"I'm in the vault. I tried to speak with Ironwood. He-" Oz coughed hoarsely from the pain of trying to speak and everything that happened was flowing back in as the adrenaline wore off and a second strong cough brought a burst of bitterness and salt up from the back of his mouth, stinging his throat again.

-mouth was flooded with a bitter saltiness that stung and made him instinctively try to retch and cough-

"You went to Ironwood!? Where is he now? Are you okay!?"

Oz felt Oscar's hot sick nausea rise up inside him in a sharp spike and he tried to quell it from his end of the connection as best he could. Coughing out the taste, wiping his face and rubbing his tongue with his sleeves. Putting his hands on the ground in front of him, lowering his head, doing every trick in the book he knows to stay calm. Breathing deeply, slowly, speaking calmly. 

"Oscar, it's okay. I'll help you, you don't have to feel sick, it's okay-' Oz doubled over and retched mid sentence, unable to hold back the body's reflex to vomit, letting it get out of Oscar's system, but then taking large deep breaths again to stop the nausea and reaching out with strong calming thoughts internally to keep soothing Oscar. Oz focused entirely on him, forcing himself to stabilize for his sake.

"....Oz? ...Is that... are you.. What happened to Oscar?"

Which was easier said than done as Oz remembered he was the one out now and Oscar was the one holed away inside. Oz struggled to his feet, adrenaline having fully left him now, leaving nothing but pain everywhere. His head, his face, his hands, his body, his throat. Everything made it feel to painful to go on.

Good thing he had a cane to help him keep going. Oscar desperatetly needed him right now, in this moment nothing else matters but his safety.

"Oscar is... in need of your assistance. I can.... make my way to the top of the vault. We'll need help after that."

"..... and Ironwood?"

Grief comes back full force, but hatred and fury as well. 

"He's dead."

"Oscar killed-"

"No!" He shouted a bit too forcefully, ever walking towards the top. "I did. I killed him. Oscar is not at fault. Everything is my fault."

Oz slowly makes it to the top of the vault and collapses in exhaustion against the wall to rest and wait for help to arrive. 

Oscar has still said nothing, still not attempted to come back to the front. But Oz is keenly aware of how their grief washes across the connection to each other.

He doesn't notice the body itself passing out from exhaustion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oscar confronts Ironwood in the vault, except it doesn't end with Ironwood shooting Oscar.
> 
> It ends with Ozpin shooting Ironwood.
> 
> Also there will definitely be more, much more sweetness and comfort, I have things I want to write and have already written, I'm just trying to find a way to write the connecting pieces inbetween


	2. Aftermath

He slips in and out of consciousness, only vaguely aware that he's being carried out by someone, and that his hand is covered in a white aura. He just feels relief and then darkness overtakes him again.

The next thing he knew, his eyes were blurring into focus as he awoke lying in a bed. Noticing the softness of the linen before fully waking up and reaching inside the connection once more.

-Oscar. Are you here?-

Nothing but silence again. He was still deep back there then. Or at least, he should be. Taking a deep calming breath Ozpin let calm, peace and comfort flow through him as he followed their emotional wire.

-before coming to a stop at a thin barrier suddenly appearing before him. Oz looked thtough it and could see the figure far behind it. He was closed in on the ground, huddled around his knees and with his head down. Ozpin tried to gently move through the mental curtain before a thin stab of fear from across the way made him stop. Ozpin just stepped back, sending gentle confusion, worry, concern back. A soft inquiry. And then received fear, guilt, sadness, shame, hot and sharp and ragged resonating through Oz. Oz just sent a stronger signal of slow peace, calmness, love, opening his hands towards Oscar, invitation, comfort, love. But Oscar didn't move. Fear, confliction, exhaustion, fear, guilt, fear, shame, getting stronger and stronger-

"Oscar! You’re awake!" Ruby's voice pierced through the fog of Oz's mind pulling him back, as Ruby ran over to hug his form that was just sitting blankly in bed. Ah, should have done this lying down he thought belatedly, as Ruby pulled back to look at him when he didn't embrace her back.

"Unfortunately, he is not." And her arms dropped to her side.

"So it's true, you are back." He could only nod at the inquiry still unable to meet her eyes. Still unable to face any of them truly. But right now it isn't about him. 

"And... Oscar? Is he still.. alive?" His head snapping up wanting to anseer her nervous question right away, just as Jaune and Qrow came inside reacting to Ruby’s call, tensely waiting on the answer to the question they just heard as well, and he lowered his gaze before answering calmly. 

"Yes, but, he did not awaken when I was not?" Ruby shook her head to say 'No' as the whole room felt relieved at Oz's 'Yes'. 

Oz could only frown thinking back to the mental encounter before. 

-tried to lift him up and back out, trying to stand them up, Oscar resisted. He was holding on to him tighter and pulled Oz back, shaking as he held him closer, his head against his chest-

"I... I was afraid of that." Oz gripped his cane in his hands, his face clearly showing concern for Oscar. 

Jaune spoke up then, worry and fear clearly edging in his voice. "What's wrong? What happened to Oscar in that vault?"

Ruby seconded her own question. "And why won't he come out?"

Oz tried to answer sensitively, knowing it was not his place, not with these kids here and now, knowing it was not his answer to give, but not wanting to lie anymore either. 

"Ironwood at the vault tried to kill him." He could see anger and worry tighten everyone’s faces. "In a frighteningly…” he tried to find the word,” ...violent way that I never knew him to be capable of.” The anger in everyone giving way to more concern for Oscar, but Oz continues, trying to give an honest answer that they also wouldn’t pry into. “Put simply, Oscar is very overwhelmed and has hidden himself away. Perhaps, I'm getting a taste of my own medicine as well.” He was correct in that no one would pry, no one would say the unstated, that once again Oscar was caught in the middle of violence that was most likely aimed at Oz, not him. “And.. I.. cannot tell Oscar not to run away from what he is frightened of, if I cannot do the same.” Oz knows this was sort of a manipulative, if correct, thing to say. They were concerned about Oscar, not him. No one in the room was certainly finished giving them their piece of minds. But so long as Oscar remained fearful, he knew they couldn’t lash out at him either way, couldn’t reinforce to Oscar that Oz was correct to hide away in fear. 

“But then, you said you killed Ironwood in return,” Qrow came over, looking over Oz, no one had really been able to take stock of the injuries Oscar actually had before Jaune healed him with his semblance. Qrow found himself unable to gauge how badly Oscar might have been affected. So he pried for more information, starting from what didn’t make sense. “Subduing the General of Atlas instead of killing him wasn’t an option? You know, if things hadn’t ended so quickly at the time, that might have caused even more unnecessary panic and grimm.” Oz’s eyes had only grown colder and colder as Qrow spoke.

“Oscar would have died had I not intervened." Oz gripped his cane in his hands tightly. “James, was, long past reason. He had completely lost his mind.” He said that last bit angrier and louder than he expected, his face unusually dark. Qrow could only widen his eyes in surprise and then narrow them, trying to see through what Oz was saying, he was being too vague about what happened. 

Then Jaune stepped forward wanting to ask his own question, but not really able to look Oz in the eyes out of his own quiet lingering irritation. “Can Oscar still hear us? Even if he won’t… respond?” 

Oz looked up at him and answered honestly. “I do not know, but I find it very unlikely. However, he is not so far gone that I cannot reach him at all. I know that he is there, and that he can understand me inside our shared space, so at the very least I can try to convey a message to him, if you so desire.” Jaune just nodded slowly and finally looked at him in the eyes. Oz tried to meet his gaze, but faltered and couldn’t keep it up.

“Just tell him he can speak with us, he can talk about what happened, or he can just chill with us whatever,” Jaune looked conflicted again then continued, “He doesn’t need to avoid us.” Ruby gave a sad look to Jaune who clearly looked guilty, and then to Qrow who had apathetically looked away, before slowly meeting his niece’s eyes and nodding, some guilt showing on his face too. Ruby looked back to Oz, before surprising him by starting to cry.

“I’m sorry Oz, for not trusting you.” Jaune and Qrow looked up, both clearly not agreeing with that statement, but Ruby continued, “I understand now why you would want to lie to us. I did it too, I lied to Ironwood too. Oscar was willing to tell him the truth from the start, but, I, we didn’t trust Ironwood.” Her tears came harder now, “And it backfired against us too. Nothing would have happened the way it did if we hadn’t lied, and Oscar wouldn’t be hurt.” Qrow spoke up, “This isn’t your fault Ruby-” but she continued cutting him off, “So I know why you felt the need to lie, I do! And I know why you were wrong to do it, because I was wrong too, and so I know that you regret it as well, because I regret it too." She finished quietly, trying to wipe the tears from her face.

Oz could only quietly say, “I’m so sorry.” Ruby looked at Oz, looking kind of angry, but also kind of sad. “I don’t want to forgive you, but I do. But if you lie to us again, about anything, I don’t know if I’ll forgive you again.” Jaune just kind of stared at Ruby, a little in disbelief, a little bit in admiration, before looking in at himself in contemplation.

Qrow looked at Oz, who said his apology looking so hollow. Having known the man for so long, the ties that had been severed still hurt, and hurt deep. They wouldn’t be the same again, even if rebuilt, he knew that. But the part of him that saw how hollow he looked still ached to have a reason not to hate him. So he gave Oz a hard ultimatum instead. “If we’re doing this, if you’re going to stay here and work with us, then work WITH us. No more lies. No more excuses. No exceptions. Over anything, do you hear me Oz? Trust is a two way street, and you need to get busy rebuilding the one you’ve already broken.”

Oz quietly whispered, "I understand."

Ruby finished rubbing her eyes, trying to get back to her characteristic happiness. “Just let us know when Oscar is out, okay? We’re all really worried about him.” Oz could only drop his head in a nod. 

Qrow then spoke over to the kids. “You kids go get something to eat downstairs, I’ll be there in a bit.” Ruby and Jaune went to the door of the room, before Jaune looked back at Qrow and then at Oz, before leaving with Ruby for breakfast. 

Once they both heard footsteps going down the stairs and voices and dishes clinking down the way, Qrow moved in closer to Oz and lowered his voice to speak to him, “You’re gonna need to give me a little bit more detail about what happened in that Vault. Time to start practicing telling the truth.” Oz tried to numb himself to feeling, to just speak plainly about the matter, so they can handle it appropriately. 

“Let me begin by saying this is a sensitive matter to be handled delicately. And as the adults in the situation is it something for us to handle, not the kids. So I will not lie, but I would appreciate some discretion in the matter and so would Oscar. In truth, it is not my truth to tell.” 

Qrow just nodded, “Why do you think I told the kids to scram? I know something’s up. The kid’s handled grimm and battle before, he’s handled being attacked by other people. But you killed James for it, for whatever he did that was so ‘frighteningly violent’ of him as you put it.” Qrow took in how Oz’s face melted into grief and softened his own a bit against his instincts. “So what the hell could he have done to Oscar?” Oz faltered for a bit, but then spoke up as much as he could.

“I wasn’t… aware for most of it. My first memory is of Oscar somehow, breaking past the barrier in our mind, filling it with terror and begging for help.” Qrow’s eyes hardened as Oz took a breath before continuing. “I took over immediately, and then I found myself pinned to the floor under James.” Fury came back to Oz at the memory, helping him to push through and continue speaking, “Oscar was bloody and handcuffed and completely at the mercy of an insane man who decided to sexually assault him on the floor,” Oz stopped a second and shook, and Qrow could only stare at Oz his eyes filled with disbelief but growing colder. “I drove him off and then we fought, and throughout that fight while Oscar was still, vulnerable, I got some flashes of his memory of what happened right before." 

Oz stopped again to take a calming breath. "I don’t have all of the details still but,” Oz’s voice broke as it strained, “He was crying out for me the whole time and I couldn’t hear him.” Oz felt his heart break as a few tears fell. “Jam-Ironwood, took out his gun aiming to kill, and during the fight I realized he had already broken Oscar’s aura long before this as well,” Qrow’s eyes went completely cold at that his face dark and grim, “So If I did not kill him, Oscar would be dead now.” Oz then stayed completely still, letting the information sink in. 

Qrow hesitated, then came closer, sitting next to him. He sat for a moment, then leaned back and sighed on the bed. “That’s really fucked up Oz.” 

Oz just looked tired, “As I said, Frighteningly violent action that I never knew him capable of.” The blank tired look on Oz’s face did not go unnoticed by Qrow and he spoke again trying to figure out what the hell happened to Ironwood’s sanity, “Did he say anything at all, during that whole time?” Oz almost let out a breathless puff of air of a laugh at the question, flashes of memory flooding back into him. Some of which he saw before, some which were new. He could only say the lines out loud to Qrow as they came to him.

-Are you ready to drop this facade now Oz?-

-You never could just trust me with the truth could you!?-

-And now this is the situation we've found ourselves in because of it!!-

-Grimm everywhere, people dying and rioting, this city falling apart and Salem right at our front door step all because you couldn't stand to tell me the goddamn truth!!-

-After everything we've done, and everything we've been through together you betray me too and you keep lying to me! I'VE HAD ENOUGH!-

-help. sto-

Oz caught himself before he accidentally repeated Oscar’s words in front of Qrow, getting too lost in the memory. Qrow was silent, just letting the words sink in. His dark thoughts stuck at first on the fact that Ironwood had broken Oscar’s aura, completely subdued a small child, had so many more pressing matters to attend to, like the actual invasion of Atlas and instead he willingly chose to be so violent in that moment with Oscar. A quiet moment passed, as a silent understanding flew between the two adult’s, that Ironwood was so gone in his paranoia and hatred of Oz, that he took it out completely on Oscar at the first opportunity he had. Qrow then found himself unable to comment on that either way, without being heard as a hypocrite. 

One one hand, once again Ozpin’s lies has resulted in another person being badly hurt, which stabbed at his heart, as well at the sheer level of premeditated unnecessary violence that was aimed at an innocent, making his anger at Oz flare again. On the other hand, it also only happened because someone decided Oscar wasn’t his own person and deserved to lash out whatever punishment was meant to Oz. And for that he couldn’t say a word since he did the same thing. Not to mention Oscar felt the need to apparently act on his own and seek out Ironwood alone, did that mean this was also partially caused by the team, by him, not fostering a sense of trust in Oscar as well? Would he have sought out Ironwood alone if he felt he could rely on others to help him?

And as Qrow looked at Oz’s eyes crying on Oscar’s numb tired face, he couldn’t help but ask himself, ‘Do I want him to hurt more for what he’s done? Does he deserve more than this? Would more punishment than this turn to cruelty? Did I want to be cruel to Oz? Does being cruel to Oz just mean more cruelty to Oscar?’ and found himself unable to answer, lost in his own dark thoughts, so he offered neither comfort nor vitriol to Ozpin. He instead turned the other cheek, and swayed the conversation to share information that now Oz didn’t have.

“Right now, the public belief in Atlas and Mantle is that Ironwood died with honor protecting the city in the battle. The private belief is that he committed suicide like a coward, since his body was found in a place only he could access, entirely alone next to a pile of vomit, and he died to his own gunshot wounds.” Oz looked up at that suddenly distracted by the word battle.

“What exactly was going on, while I was...out?” Qrow just groaned and fell back on the bed entirely.

“Where do I even start with that one Oz?”

And so Qrow filled in Oz of what had happened so far, as downstairs another conversation was happening. 

Ruby and Jaune left the room to go downstairs and eat breakfast with the rest of the team, and were almost caught off guard by Nora running up to them with an excited smile. “Where’s my cute little boy Oscar?” 

Ren and Blake looked up from the cooking they were doing, and Weiss and Yang got up from where they were sitting, well in time to see that Ruby and Jaune didn’t look all that excited. Ruby just shook her head, still feeling sort of teary as Jaune spoke up. “He’s… not back.” and Nora’s face dropped. 

Immediately they were bombarded with questions and comments, “Is he… okay?”, “What’s his condition like?”, “He isn’t completely.... gone, is he?”, "Does that mean...Oz is?"

Ruby and Jaune each stumbled trying to explain at the same time, “Oscar’s not gone, he’s just,” “Ozpin said he’s frightened and overwhelmed by everything..” “Oz looked really upset, and angry about Ironwood.” “So he’s just, stuck back in his own head and Ozpin was kinda put out I guess.” Ruby then said quieter, “He said Ironwood was really violent to Oscar and almost killed him.” Yang hadn’t really moved from where she was, looking more mad and irritated than anything, but kept her eyes soft for Ruby when Ruby looked at her sister for comfort. 

Weiss then spoke up, her voice confused but laced with concern, “Why did he even leave by himself to go see Ironwood anyway?.” Jaune’s face showed clear distress. “I don’t know, he was right there with us, and then I didn’t see him leave,” Nora came over to stand near Jaune and hold his hand as Jaune continued, “I should have paid more attention to him, I should have done more to protect him.” Jaune squeezed Nora’s hand and Ren’s grip tightened on the dishes, looking at Jaune and Nora with distress, wanting to do the same, as he and Blake finished setting up breakfast. 

Blake then spoke, “So, then how do we help Oscar?” as everyone slowly made their way to the table to sit down and began to eat. Ren and Nora zoning in on either side of Jaune, as Yang scooched near Ruby who were both opposite Blake and Weiss. 

Ruby replied, “Oz said Oscar's locked himself away in their mind, kinda like what Oz was doing to Oscar. But, if we talk to Oz and ask him to send a message, he said he would be able to tell Oscar.” 

Yang just made an irritated noise. “Doesn’t that sound like he’s just keeping Oscar hostage?” 

Ren shook his head, “I don’t know why he would do that now, it’s not like Ozpin has any secrets to keep, or reasons to lie, at this point.”

Nora shrugged, “Well, what exactly happened with Ironwood and Oscar besides ‘He tried to kill him?’ They must have at least argued about something? Right?”

Jaune looked back at the room where Qrow and Oz still were. “Oz and Qrow are still talking, probably about that honestly. I just don’t exactly, feel much like speaking to Oz myself,” His eyes looked bitter and Yang piped up, “Agreed.” Jaune continued, “I’ll ask Qrow when they’re done, but,” Jaune allowed himself to remember how Oz seemed to fold at everything like a wet paper napkin, except for his uncharacteristic anger at Ironwood. Then knowing that Oscar as Oscar left on his own to see Ironwood, then how beat up Oscar was when they found him. Knowing that Ironwood was dead, seeing him lying face down on the floor in a pool of his own blood. Not really believing in Oz’s intent so much as looking at the evidence he knew. “I don’t think Oz is lying about Oscar, or keeping him hostage in his head.” 

Ren then spoke up, “I think the first thing to do, is to make sure Oscar feels safe. If he feels safe, then he should be able to speak to us.”

Nora then piped up, “Yeah but how can we make him feel safe without speaking to him in the first place?”

Jaune tried to swallow his bitterness at his own idea, knowing it was the only way for now, “We just, have to get Oz to play messenger boy for now. And, trust, that he’s trying to reach out to Oscar as well.” Yang and Nora both made a face at that, clearly wanting a better option, but they all realized none exists yet. 

Blake then said her piece, “I think that each of us needs to take turns sending him a message, if he knows that all of us care about him and want to know he’s okay, he would come and see us, right?” They all seemed to nod their agreement for that course of action. 

Yang just sighed, “Fine, I’ll try to play nice for Oscar’s sake.” She got up before getting another bowl and filling it with food. Ruby looked over at her, “What, right now? You haven’t eaten yet.” before Yang answered, “I wanna get my turn with the guy over and done with, and Oscar’s body at least needs to eat, he’s been out for a while, so I’m using that as an excuse to be nice.” Yang then brought the bowl up the stairs passing by Qrow who was just leaving, they met eyes but they didn’t stop or say anything as they passed each other by. 

Yang went into the bedroom and Qrow came downstairs and headed right for the door. Ruby saw him heading out and called out, “Uh, Uncle Qrow? Don’t you want some breakfast?” 

Qrow only called back as he left, “Nah I’m good, listen, I’ll be out for a bit, I’ll come back later tonight.” and left right away through the door, no doubt seeking out the nearest bar from the strained look on his face. Ruby's face just dropped as her uncle seemed to regress.

That didn't go unnoticed by Jaune either, who just looked to the door then back down at his food, “Well, there goes my idea to talk to Qrow about it.” Ren discreetly held Jaune’s hand as they sat next to each other, matching Nora on Jaune’s other side. He squeezed back and looked at them both, and everyone went back to finishing their food. A sort of heavy mood had fallen over the breakfast table, the usual lighthearted chatter replaced with a cacophany of sullen thoughts, as they each tried to think of how they could help Oscar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is basically the direct aftermath plus a sort of setup for how I wanna do things in the future of this story. 
> 
> I don't know if each character + Oz interaction will be a whole chapter, or if I'll do a few in each one, or a whole bunch in each one, but i essentially want to write about each character's unique relationship to Oz and Oscar and this current setup is a really great vehicle for that, but that portion will be spent getting Oscar out of the shell so to speak, and then the REAL meat of the comfort will shine through. I have SUCH a good good goooood scene already written out, we just gotta get there lol
> 
> As for what happened in Atlas and where they are now, don worry bout it, all you need to know is that the battle's over, they had some percentage of a victory, Salem's not dead or anything just driven away, everyone thinks Ironwood died in the battle (*cough* committed suicide *cough*), likely Winter Schnee is the new General of Atlas and Clover is her new second in command because fuck you he didn't die, also Penny/Pietro/Maria are just also back in Atlas helping with rebuilding whatever percentage they didn't get a victory for, hohoho ambiguity remains. 
> 
> But really it's mostly that I don't really care about writing any of that, also Clover may or may not be dead depending on how I wanna write Oz interacting with Qrow, haven't really decided, so I take back the fuck you he's not dead, heck you he might be dead. 
> 
> Also, I'm really attached to writing how in their deep inner shared headspace, Oz and Oscar are basically wordless and communicate through sending emotional feelings along the telephone wire whenever something happens in the -dash space- it's that soundless emotional void of their shared space. I'm using it sort of as a metaphor for traumatic communication and as a way for them to realize the truth in each other and trust each other again, since they can't send a feeling they don't actually feel. No thoughts, no words, no lies, just emotion. 
> 
> If it's not clear by now, Oscar is sort of afraid of Ozpin as well, the fear of death got really ingrained into him (obviously), and Ironwood said somethings in that first chapter that were very upsetting, and will be very hard to deny are wrong. Oz is just heartbroken because he's been a father so many times and loved so many children and now another one is hurting. So it's not just the rest of the team trying to coax Oscar back out, it's Oz too. 
> 
> I hope??? I set it up good enough for everyone to be comfortable interacting and maaaaybe building back that relationship with Oz again??? Ruby and Qrow will be definitely be the driving forces for that, but I'm *hoping* everyone will again trust eachother in time.
> 
> In terms of hardest to easiest to pull around to liking Oz again I've been imagining it as Qrow > Jaune > Yang > Nora > Ren > Weiss > Blake > Ruby, 
> 
> Qrow/Jaune/Yang obvs having a harder time, but I can see Ruby and Blake taking it easier and less likely to be judging of stuff. Ren/Nora/Weiss are sort of in the middle and have less of a personal stake against Oz, just a situational one. 
> 
> Their basic emotional ideas I have for each of them boiling down to a sort of Vice/Virtue list:
> 
> Yang - Defensive but Protective  
> Ruby - Regretful but Hopeful  
> Weiss - Incredulous but Sad  
> Blake - Unsure but Empathetic  
> Nora - Overly Optimistic but Sincere  
> Ren - Reserved but Unjudging  
> Jaune - Bitter but Worried  
> Qrow - Angry but Lonely


	3. Yang's Storytime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yang just stumbled in without a plan, just some food, but she gets an idea of what to say when she thinks about it.

Yang took the bowl of food and headed up the stairs, walking past Qrow who only gave her a passing glance, barely stopping on his way out of the front door. Yang just entered the room, already trying to focus on what she was even going to say, having acted on impulse before getting that far. She saw Oz just sitting on the bed, looking tired but alive and felt an old irritation trickle up her spine. He glanced at her as she entered and addressed him.

“Here, eat this,” She said while handing the bowl out to him. He accepted the food without comment, clearly noting the irritation on her face as she continued, “I’m still mega-pissed at you, so don’t say anything, and just eat while I tell you my message for Oscar.” Oz had already started to eat, now aware of the fact that it has been a few days since they'd all apparently left Atlas. He felt comforted by the warmth of the food and it’s energy, despite Yang’s intentions for it. He continued eating for a few quiet moments as Yang continued to look more and more frustrated. Raising an eyebrow but not saying anything, Oz just continued to eat in silence until half the food was gone. Only then did he stop for a moment to look quietly at Yang in expectation, before she ran her fingers through her hair and opened up again, “I can’t think of what to say when I’m angry, I’m too pissed off at that asshole right now. Oscar if you’re listening to me I want you to know I literally can’t think about anything except punching that asshole right in the face.” 

Oz looked at her in a moment of silent irony before speaking up, “If I may, allow me to try and reach out to Oscar again, it will give you a moment as well.” Yang just took a deep sigh to try and calm herself and think what she could even say to Oscar as Oz closed his eyes and seemed to go into a sort of meditative state. 

Yang just tried thinking to herself. Alright so, Oscar is scared, really scared, and he had a bad fight with Ironwood. Oz had to take over, it was super violent or whatever, and only then did Ironwood die and then a realization occurred. Oz had to take over for him, Oscar was going to die, that means Oscar wasn’t strong enough to win, he was probably losing, and losing badly. Was he upset about that? Was he upset that he was weaker than the General? That he couldn’t overcome the opponent? Was he pissed off and afraid too?

That’s something Yang could understand. Her hand clasped her metal arm as she thought back to the moment of how she lost it, and how she felt for so long afterwards. She then realized Oscar never knew that story. When they first met, she already had her robotic arm, and trained thtough it, and they weren't really close enough to talk about what had happened, much less how she felt about it. That’s something she only spoke about with her own team. Even JNR never really got the full details of what she went through, just knew she was touchy about it. She waffled on whether or not to tell that story, wondering on her own if Oscar felt as bad as she did. But then realized she couldn't think of what else she could say and tried to think of how to word it without being awkward.

In the meantime Oz followed the connection inside, feeling more than a bit warmed up now that things had been sort of spoken about, he had some food in him and there was one of Oscar’s friends already here to try and reach out to him, this could be a good start. He followed the threads and-

-Once again came across a thin barrier, but Oscar was closer to it this time and Oz could see that he had at least stopped crying for the moment, even though he was still curled up. Oz sent feelings of care, relief, curiosity and Oscar finally looked up to see him, before looking back down and only sending back, tired, nervous, ashamed. Oz sat down right up against the barrier, reached out his hand, his palm up, and this time sent him the mental image of Yang inside the room, holding out a bowl of food. Curiosity, friendship, message? Oscar looked conflicted and felt exhausted, but slowly shuffled closer to Oz, nearly right next to him, before reaching his hand out to Oz's fingers through the mental curtain, and when their hands touched Oz felt a huge well of relief flow through him as he could finally hear Oscar speak-

-Yang brought food? But, she wants to ask me something? Is she... asking about what happened?- He whispered hesitantly. 

Oz gently but firmly held Oscar’s hand before replying, -She did bring food, but she only wants to convey a message, will you hear her out?- Oz felt the confliction well up inside Oscar, knowing he wanted to see his friends, but the overwhelming emotions he felt came welling up with it, Fear, Shame, Grief waiting on the edge of the cup, hoping to spill over again. Oz urgently reassured Oscar, -You don’t have to do anything you aren’t comfortable with, but she would like to know you received her message-

Oscar just lowered his head, looking away from Oz, -I just.. I don’t.. I can’t say anything back, not right now, what would I even, how do I- tears and fears welling up inside him again as he started tearing up again.

Oz wanted to reach out and pull Oscar into a hug across the curtain, but hesitated because he could now feel why Oscar had pulled it up in the first place, Fear, Loss, Death, Self. Emotions he was not unfamiliar with, but that pained him all the same. He wanted to pour reassurances of their merger and spill it across their connection. But he knew that issue was already overwhelming on it’s own, and he was afraid of overehelming Oscar with all of his fear at once and pushing him away entirely, behind a thick wall as he had done, not just this thin veil of anxiety. So he held back and instead brought their attention back to Yang, who looked like she was waiting and ready to speak. -You don’t have to do anything but listen, I can speak with her for you, even just to say that you heard her, is that alright?” Oscar finally just nodded at that and Oz opened his eyes, aware of the mental hand still with Oscar and nodded at Yang.

“Oscar can hear you now.” 

Yang looks up at him suddenly looking more nervous instead of irritated before as she starts babbling, “Oh man dude, you scared the shit out of all of us! You have no idea how great it is that you’re like finally awake and shit. Okay I don’t really know what you’d even wanna hear right now, but I have a story to tell you I’d think you’d like.” She just kinda cheekily smiles as she pops her metal arm off and jiggles it with her other hand. “Wanna know how I got this thing?”

Oscar immediately feels curious enough to make Oz chuckle and speak out loud to Yang, “That certainly got his attention.”

Yang just hopped in and started talking, keeping a light tone, but it was clear to everyone who was listening, including her, that this story wasn’t a happy one. “So, it actually happened during the fall of Beacon. When all that shit was going down, I’d heard that Blake went off on her own to fight some huge grimm, and I went after her because I was worried for her. I fought some dudes trying to get to her, but this one guy, Adam, was super obsessed with Blake.” Her hand clenched at the memory but she continued, “And then when I got to her, he was there and he just upped and stabbed her, all of a sudden, and I was so mad, and she was hurt, all I could think about was beating the crap out of him, so I just charged in and boom! He sliced off my arm with his sword.” Oscar was just starting to think back about he felt as she kept going, “It was just over so quickly, like, he completely beat me with no effort, like I was so weak,” -painfully twisted that arm backwards to meet with the other arm already behind his back with trained military precision- “And it was my hands too like, my main weapon. If Blake didn’t step in and whisk me away, man, saying ‘I’d be in trouble’ is an understatement.” 

Oz held to Oscar a bit tighter as Yang was somehow right on the emotional money, Oscar just shook a bit at the memory, but he was also caught off guard with how Yang had such an experience too. He wouldn’t know it from how, confident, she always was. He didn’t have to imagine how she felt at the time though, he was feeling all of it right now. “It took some training and a new arm, and learning how to counter and dodge but I eventually dealt with not having an arm anymore. The thing that gave me real trouble,” Yang paused at this part, trying to be honest but feeling awkward about it. She had passed this part in her journey already, but it just felt bad to revisit it, “Was all the fear. Did you know for so long after that, even when I had trained, every time I thought of battle, or thought of that dick weasel who chopped my arm off, my hands would just, shake,” And Oscar’s hands shook, “And it was so hard to control it sometimes and I felt like, man I was afraid and then I was just embarrassed to be afraid, like how seriously could people take a huntress quaking in her boots? And then I was just angry to be afraid, and even then after I was angry I was still afraid.” Oscar now understood her intent with the story. “So like, if you’re embarrassed or angry or afraid of what happened, or however you’re feeling, I’m not gonna make fun or you or anything. And I’ll slap anyone who does with my metal arm and then take it off and slap em again with my other arm.” She holds her disconnected metal arm in the air with her other flesh hand as she waves it through the air making a slapping motion. The unexpected image made Oscar laugh, unintentionally slipping back into the reigns of his own self, before he blinked and realized Yang could suddenly see him, looking kind of surprised and reaching out with her hand and his soul flinched back inside leaving Oz scrambling not to drop the food bowl in their hands. 

Yang and Oz just looked at each other for a moment before Oz spoke to Yang, “Thankyou, Miss Xiao Long, I think he understood your message.”

Yang could only reply, “Right, yeah, that’s good.” kind of flustered from the surprise of Oscar reaching out after everyone had such heavy hearts over breakfast. She felt her tension ease up with the feeling of relief. He didn’t seem as bad as she was back then, that was a good sign right? He’s just a little bit scared right now, but he just needs some time, he’ll be fine.

Yang then found herself alone in the room with Oz again and her mood kind of soured, but to her annoyance she didn’t feel as snappy, the relief about Oscar dulling how angry she was at Oz for the moment. But she still needed to say her piece, Oz wasn’t something they could just let slide. 

But all she could think to say was, oddly, “There’s no such thing as a choice without knowledge.” Oz looked at her, raising an eyebrow, some of the sass in him also coming back from his own relief of Oscar. But she wasn’t in a sassy mood. “If people don’t know what’s going on, if they don’t have all the information, then they’re not going to make good choices. They’ll make a mistake, or get hurt, or get other people hurt.” Her eyes flared red for a second as she felt anger coming back, “I’m just surprised I have to be the one to tell YOU that.” 

And she walked back out of the room, her eyes cooling down. She felt proud about talking down to Oz without going off on an anger spiral, even though she knew it was still a jab to hurt him. Oz just sat quietly as Yang left the room, going back to the bowl of food in his hands and continued to eat, all the while thinking to himself about he was expecting her visit to be full of anger and spite, but receiving a peace offering of food and wisdom instead. 

-It seems I haven’t been giving Miss Xiao Long enough credit- 

He thought to himself and to Oscar. Oscar was still here, still holding his hands, but he could feel the slight fear and embarrassment he felt about flinching back from the reigns, from her hands.

-places it on his head. His fingers softly moved through his hair- 

He curls in tighter but Oz just smooths his hands over Oscar’s and offers the food bowl sort of outward.

-Would you like something to eat? It would do you some good to have a good meal- 

But Oscar just shook his head no, and Oz nodded and finished his food.

He wasn’t really ready yet, not at all, but this was a surprisingly good step for all of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I do like the flow of one chapter per person interaction. It drags it out nice and slow and lets me think about stuff without rushing it. Yang was the obvious next choice for me just from how I think she would go about doing stuff, but now the next one is very open, it could be anyone next, so I am sort of curious who you'd think would be the next to try and reach out. It doesn't have to be soon either, or the same day, I doubt they're all going to bombard him at once. and that wouldn't be terribly realistic for how "quickly" Oscar might deal with this, or seem to deal with it. 
> 
> These chapters may be longer or shorter as well, depends on the person and interaction and what happens. Each one will try to have some Oz and Oscar moments sprinkled in as well, since this is all still happening through Oz. Later on Oz and Oscar will get a dedicated chapter to themselves, since they clearly have something they need to talk about as well. 
> 
> But Jaune is off limits for who'd you think you want next, because he's going to be last for a specific reason. Qrow too because he's gone for the day at least and will be drunk when he's home (and I still haven't really decided about Clover yet hah but leaning towards canon compliant)
> 
> I have ideas in place kind of for everyone and what they would say or do, and how each of them would relate to Oscar. and Jaune especially so. The big brother instincts are gonna settle in real good with Jaune.


	4. Nora's Adventure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nora can't take the vibes of this place any more.

For the rest of the morning, the team had thankfully not just avoided Oz when he came out of the room and started to exist again. Not all of them spoke to him, but some inquired about Oscar, and Ruby had even inquired about himself.

Oz still felt somewhat tense though, since he could feel the underlying currents of so many questions from the others, each giving off a vibe of wanting to approach him but not exactly sure how to. They'd somewhat grouped together into their teams doing their own activities, when Nora sauntered over to team RWBY, having overhead Yang say something. They were talking about him for the moment it seemed.

Oz just spent his morning either training or in meditation, trying to ease the few hints of nervous energy to walk or do something instead of just waiting to be bombarded by the others.

Then all of a sudden he was interrupted in the midst of meditation by a shout, "That's it! I can't stand it! Ozzy come on, we're hitting the town!" and Oz was suddenly lifted up onto his feet from where he was sitting by a pair of hands under his arms and then turned to face a smiling and excited Miss Valkyrie.

Oz could only huff at being manhandled by one of his previous students and aimed to remind her of such, "Miss Valkyrie, you do realize that I was in fact your former headmaster? And please, don't call me that again." 

Oz then removed himself from her grip but Nora looked undaunted and continued animating her every word. “Aw c'mon, don't be a stick in the mud, the vibes in this place are killing me right now! I need some fresh air and some fun times and so do you!" 

Oz held a moment trying to decide if this was worth it, before thinking it would do them all some good to go out and enjoy themselves. So he just sighed, resigned himself to the rest of the day and then held out his arm to the lady, like the gentlemen that he was, with a thin smile, "I suppose I don't actually have much of a choice do I?"

Nora immediately, yet surprisingly gently, tucked her arm into his and started leading him out the door herself, "Nope!" 

All of the yelling caught some attention from the others, and Jaune got up to follow them to the door, "I'll go with you, we should be careful and do more than just a buddy system if we're going out somewhere," but Nora stopped him.

"Jaune we'll be fiiiine," Nora exaggeratedly whined at him, "We're not going very far," Jaune reached out to open his mouth, "OR staying out very late," Jaune rubbed the back of his head, "Me and Oz are just gonna get out and have some fun today!" 

Jaune sighed, still looking kinda worried but catching the hint about what Nora was intending, "Just call us if anything happens all right?" 

Nora just turned around to boop him on the nose, "We'll be fine! See you all later!" she waved bye to everyone as she turned and jogged away practically pulling Oz along by the arm and out the door.

As they left Oz turned to Nora to inquire, "So what exactly do you have in mind for today, Miss Valkyrie?"

Nora just smiled and continued jogging ahead at a slightly quicker pace than Oz was quite comfortable with, "The plan is: we walk and talk until we find something interesting to do!"

"Then, what did you want to talk about?"

Nora stopped for a moment, and jumped up with, "Ooh! I know! What did the duck say when she purchased new lipstick?" Oz was very confused, "Uhh, pardon?" Nora just laughed "Put it on my bill!" Nora just cracked up at her own pun as Ozpin took a deep breath to prepare himself for what was now going to be a really long day.

Nora seemed to have an infinite well of puns, and every so often she'd get distracted by one and tell a funny story she remembered, which reminded her of a different pun and so on and so forth.

Oz though felt some weight lift off his own heart, as Nora seemed to have no issue conversing with him instead of just through him to Oscar. Ever content to just walk through the town pointing out oddities and curiosities with a seeming infinite amount of puns and patience to wait for Oscar to come out on his own. Oz recognized her surprising amount of patience and gentleness, as well as how she'd taken them out somewhere to get some fresh air away from the group. Oz was grateful, all things considered, but the puns were... a bit much. He decided it's long past due for it to be Oscar's turn to deal with this, and while Nora was distracted, Oz just quietly slipped halfway back inside the connection.

-Only to catch Oscar sadly looking out from behind the curtain before looking away from Oz, pulling back further at his approach. Oz felt confidence turn to hesitation for a moment, as he felt Oscar's waves of sadness and confusion, before sending a memory of Nora gently smiling and laughing towards Oscar, along with waves of his own amusement and calmness. But Oscar's confusion only started to increase and meld with the sadness again. The more Oscar thought of the memory of Nora, the more his feelings twisted from the confusion, coiling tighter inside him, sadness and frustration blending into grief and hopelessness. Oz tried to hold back the sudden corkscrew of emotions as he could see Oscar start to shake in the distance. But before he could send back calming waves of peace the turmoil and negativity continuing to grow stronger and suddenly fear, alarm, danger-

Oz narrowly snapped back into awareness and dodged the clawed swipe of a grimm that had manifested in front of him while he was out, as he heard the growls of a pack of beowolves moving around him.

Oz whipped his cane out and immediately got into battle stance, scanning wildly to see where Nora had gone, but then was distracted by the unexpected voice in his head crying out-

-I'm sorry! I don't know how to stop it-

Oz fought off one beowolf, as he tried to both focus on all of the grimm, and comfort the suddenly very very upset voice in his head, at the same time -You can't stop what?-

-How awful I feel It's just attracting all the grimm- Oz ducks as one beowolf jumps over him. Oscar just feels tears of frustration well up from inside him as he continues to speak without breathing -I'm putting everyone in danger because I can't just laugh at Nora's jokes or feel happy- 

This time a lunge and a bite from one of the grimm, but another round of jabs with the cane disintegrates it, at the same time, he feels hands shaking at the recollection of a distant memory that keeps playing on repeat. The scenes flashing again in his head, distracting him.

-What-what are you doing!?-

-St-Stop doing that!-

-Stop this. I-

He tries to shake his head to rid himself of the memory again and frustration wells up again -Why can't I just feel happy! We were having a good time and everything was safe why couldn't I do it! Now Nora's probably in danger- Oscar whirls the cane around lashing out at a grimm who'd tried to come up from behind him, tears glistening down his face and his hands still shaking as he realizes he's now in control and supposed to be fighting.

Oscar could feel the fear wrap around him from inside, knowing he wasn't in the greatest state to be fighting, but Nora must need him, wherever she is, and Oz's voice grounds him, and guides him through the motions.

-Easy, breathe, then step forward- Oscar gets a few shaky breaths in before correcting his stance and gripping the cane tighter. 

-Now, hit that one!- Oz calls out as one grimm lunges at him from the side. Oscar whirls around and clocks it hard enough to shatter, letting some of his frustration out in the process.

-Very good-

As Oscar steps back, the last three of the grimm were in stopped in front of him and growled. -And Miss Valkyrie is quite alright, you needn't worry about her- Oscar could barely get a "huh?" out before a sudden shrieking war cry sounded out. 

A hammer had come out of nowhere hitting all three of the grimm in the side, turning each one into smoke. The figure who had swung the hammer then just jumped up and started yelling, "That's what mama's talking about baby! YEAH I REALLY NEEDED THAT!! WHOOOO!!"

And like that, the battle was over. Nora was fine, the small pack of grimm were dead, and Oscar was still holding the cane and shaking, face still wet, not sure what to expect next.

Nora turned to look at Oz, but found Oscar standing there instead. She figured it wasn't Oz by the way he was frantically rubbing the tears off his face. Oscar didn't even notice Nora gently approach he just quickly wiped his face he didn't wanna cry in front of Nora she was gonna ask so many questions that he didn’t know how to answer yet-

But she just pulled him into a hug before he could finish his frantic thoughts and gently asked him, "Hey, are you okay?"

Tightness welled up in his chest as more tears seemed to be summoned by his efforts to stop crying, and instead of answering, he could only choke out an apology, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean too, I was trying not too but it wasn't working and then I made grimm appear-" He tried to breathe through the sudden hiccup sobs, just feeling worse and embarrassed he was still like this, and in front of her to boot.

Nora just held him tighter, "You're allowed to feel sad y'know, and Grimm existing isn't your fault silly! You could be happy as a clam and there'd still be grimm!"

She pulled back and grinned in his face, "If being happy was all it took to get the grimm to stop our whole group would be out of a job!"

Oscar shook his head trying to insist, "But It's my fault I-" Nora just booped him on the nose and the action surprised him enough to make him stop mid-sentence.

"Nope! No buts! It's not your fault, but If you're sad then feel sad, cry out all the tears. Give the sadness the eviction notice and then you'll have plenty of room to be happy later. There's no rush, Oscar."

Oscar just sat down to the ground in a heap, as the relief of Nora not wanting to interrogate him opened a hole in his heart, and tears started to fall faster through his shivery breaths. He tries to be as quiet as possible about it, trying as best as he can to evict all of the negativity as quick as possible. Nora just sits down next to him and rubs his back, doesn’t say a word. Ozpin sends warmth and reassurance to him as well, but did not speak, not wanting to interrupt the moment for them both.

Nora just breathes her own sigh of relief, "I'm really glad that you're back though, honestly what would I do without my cute boy Oscar?"

Oscar hiccups a laughs at her words through the tears a bit and feels himself start to feel relieved. He was so convinced Nora was just gonna bombard him with questions about what happened and why, as soon as she caught wind of him, but she hasn't said a word about it. Not a single peep about anything. He was just awash with a feeling of gratitude that he can just feel his feelings next to her without having to explain or talk about it.

They continue to sit like this for a bit, Nora next to him, rubbing his back, before Oscar calms down again. Having somewhat "evicted" a lot of the bad feelings as she put it. Or at least, now feeling too tired to cry anymore. 

He wipes his face again, trying to hide that he’d been crying. Though his cheeks and eyes are still red from the tears. He stands and Nora helps him up, and then they start to walk back to the house, the purpose of the walk now fundamentally fulfilled. Nora found something interesting to do, got to speak to Oscar and see that he was alright, and she was able to comfort him a bit as well. 

‘Well it's not the worst way we could have ended today anyway.’ she thought to herself.

Oscar then stopped a moment to ask, "Umm Nora?" 

She stopped with him, "What's up?"

Oscar hesitated a bit, "Do you think... Is everyone... Am I gonna get jumped by everyone when I get home? I just... I can't talk about... everything right now. I can't handle everyone at once."

Nora hummed to herself before she pulled out her scroll, sending a quick message to Jaune giving him an update on today's events.

'Hey Jaune, we'll be home soon. Fought some grimm and now Oscar's out! But he doesn't wanna talk about anything or be crowded be everyone. Make sure everyone leaves him alone when we come back kk?'

"Well, if they were gonna bother ya, they ain't now! Jaune'll take care of it!" Nora just grinned as she put her scroll away. It barely left her hands before it loudly buzzed, and again, third time... It just kept buzzing honestly.

"Okay, maybe Jaune might come out and swarm you. But, I'll do my best to bodyguard ya how about that?" Oscar felt tight, he wasn’t prepared to speak to Jaune. He wasn’t prepared to talk to anyone. He can’t even speak to Oz about anything yet and Oz was literally there and in his head. He could feel the panic and shame and grief spiraling again, but Ozpin came up and covered him in a gentle warmth.

-Oscar, it will be alright. Jaune is just worried about you. Nothing bad will happen. I am still here as well.- Ozpin put his metaphorical hand on Oscar’s shoulder and Oscar leaned back into it heavily as he replied back.

-Just don’t.. Don’t leave me. I need you here- And Ozpin wrapped both arms around Oscar and held him tight.

-I won’t leave-

Oscar realized he hadn’t really given Nora an answer yet, but couldn’t speak, so he just shakily nodded at her. She then gently went to hold one of his shaking hands and they continued walking.

It wasn’t long until they could see him in the distance, running frantically towards them. Oscar just held Nora’s hand tighter as Jaune ran closer, before he stopped and started panting from exhaustion in front of them.

Jaune finally just looked up at both of them, noting they were clearly physically okay, but also noticing how Oscar’s face looked in great detail, before all of the tension in him flopped out into relief and all he could say was, “Oh thank god. I was so worried about you guys. Alright, let’s just go home. This is enough excitement for one day isn’t it Nora?” Jaune just had a look on his face like he was pleading with the gods at Nora to be more responsible. Internally just sending mental messages of ‘please my heart can’t take this’ and ‘this is why we use the more than one buddy system’ but nobody could hear his internal agony. Nora just smiled cheekily and Oscar felt his tension ease as well. 

They started walking together in silence, Jaune and Oscar both feeling too tired to speak in their own way, as Nora just hummed along feeling pretty great about herself all things considered. Nora still held Oscar’s left hand, and Jaune slipped to his right, hesitantly, but gently moving an arm around Oscar’s shoulders. His hand squeezing for a moment in an unspoken but loudly heard, ‘It’s a huge relief that you’re here.’

And they made their way back to the house, in a peaceful quiet walk that Oz had been hoping for from the start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As per the popular demand of a whole two comments, here we have Nora!
> 
> AND! Oscar is out! Kinda! Not sure for how long! But Nora did a surprisingly good job at making him feel at ease, I wasn't expecting to come out during the fight, but then he did and all the frustration came out when paralleled against how easy it was for Nora to be happy versus how hard it was for him. He wasn't angry at Nora at all, just upset with himself that all of the sad/angry/bad isn't going away yet. But then it was over and he wasn't sure how to react, fearing the worst still, but Nora went into Big Sister mode full stop. And we got a hint of Big Bro Jaune as well, who was clearly on full alert from Nora's text and could clearly see how upset Oscar was but still held it back, kept Oscar's feelings as the focus and didn't push him further than he was comfortable, such a good big bro!
> 
> I have a lot of thoughts about how trauma works in a universe where all of the evil in the world is literally attracted to people who feel bad emotions like anger and fear and loneliness. It doesn't exactly lend itself to be a healing environment when your survival instinct is inherently tied to your ability to shove away negativity and replace it with happiness. So those who find themselves unable to do so, just end up increasing their own fear of death in a negativity spiral until death at the claws of grimm is inevitably the end result.
> 
> And as huntsman/huntresses, who's sole job is to deal with grimm, They're better equipped than most to deal with these feelings of negativity in healthy and efficient ways. And likely they have specific therapeutic training as well, especially team leader's like Jaune I would imagine, who also have to manage and handle the interpersonal relationships of the team. 
> 
> Oscar is still training to be a Huntsman, he isn't quite there yet, and as much memory and experience the mental connection with Oz gives, his own emotional growth and maturity is something Oscar will have to develop on his own. 
> 
> Cannot wait for that Jaune chapter!!
> 
> Also no wonder Qrow drinks, what else can he do? Therapist's must make such bank in this world. 
> 
> Let me know who you are curious to see next!


	5. Team ORNJ's Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oops I got all the fluffy feels in my head and this literally wouldn't stop writing itself so here choke on some sweet cotton candy fluff.
> 
> This involves Ren with Team ORNJ together but this doesn't count as Ren's chapter since it's a group thing not a one on one.
> 
> ENJOY THE CUTE

Oscar felt himself subtly slow as they approached the house, filling with dread again. Even though Jaune and Nora hadn't asked any questions yet, he knew they eventually would want to. Not to mention everyone inside the house, he could the tension of knowing everyone was practically chomping at the bit to speak to him and he wanted to try he really did but-

-shame burned in him, tension coiling in his gut, how could say it, say anything to any of them. It was so, so messed up so wrong why did he do that why-

-Oz's presence was still there, warm and enveloping, sending calmness and gently turning him back to his friends this time, quickly nipping the distracted thought spiral in the bud-

He's brought back by Nora and Jaune both squeezing his hands and shoulders. Not realizing they had done so in response to him stopping and shaking silently.

Jaune held him closer and spoke, "It's alright, no one will bring up anything unless you want to talk about stuff. I made them all promise, okay?"

-When they make a promise, they do keep it. You have nothing to worry about Oscar- Oz chimed in in his head.

Oscar tried nodding his head like he understood and Nora spoke this time, "Let's just do whatever you wanna do, sound good?"

"Y-yeah," Oscar tried to force himself to speak a response.

Jaune then asked, "So, what would you like to do?" His hand left Oscar's shoulder so he could speak and Oscar felt his right hand twitch. "We can play videogames or train-" He stopped a second as Oscar slipped his still trembling fingers back into Jaune's hand, but continued speaking right away, squeezing the hand back as he spoke, "Or we can do nothing and just chill."

Oscar spoke up, trying to be brave but also trying to shove through his awkwardness as much as he could, just wanting things to be normal as soon as possible, thinking they could play a game or something-

-Memories of all sorts of various boardgames and their rules all flowed into his head all at once, some he recognized, other's he did not, but his Aunt gently laughing and playing cards with him at the evening table before bed shone brightest among the memories and Oscar was filled with the yearning for that familiar comfort-

"Do you guys have any boardgames maybe, or like cards or, uh, my Aunt and me always used to play cards a lot, or play dice, or-" 

He fumbled over what he was trying to say but Nora got the gist of it and she pulled the three of them along towards the house, "Oooh! We can play Go Fish! Or Poker! Or Yahtzee! Oh my gosh that sounds like fun!"

Oscar flinched at the spike of anxiety he felt as they passed through the doorway and Nora ran off to search the house for a deck, mumbling she thought she saw one in a closet somewhere, leaving him open to the room.

Which turned out to be empty save for Ren sitting on the cushions surrounding the circular coffee table, drinking some tea. Ren looked up at them both but just nodded his head, acknowledging them both without saying a word. Oscar felt his tension relax as he was realized it seemed to be just the four of them now, so he felt bold enough to ask, "Where is team RWBY at?" as Jaune and him walked towards Ren, still hand in hand, to sit on those same comfy looking cushions.

Ren put his tea down as he answered, "Team RWBY decided to go out get some team exercise training done. They said they were out of practice, so I imagine they'll be gone the rest of the evening. I decided to wait here for you guys." 

Jaune just gets comfy and sits at an angle from Ren, his hand still holding Oscar close to him, "We were actually about to just chill and play some boardgames or cards or whatever Nora thinks she can find, you wanna join in?"

Ren nodded, "Sure, it's been quite a while since we've played anything haven't we?"

Nora then runs back with a smallish box that sounded like it was full of small pieces and things, "Found it!" She ran up and placed it on the table, "It's this box labelled 'game stuff' I found in a closet in the hallway one time, it must have something fun in it!" She opens it with a flourish onto the table and while it does indeed contain what appears to be a couple decks of cards, it also seems to contains various mixed and matched game pieces from obscure unknown games including: 

a full set of mini chess pieces and board, a small bag of variously colored small plastic circle chips, a handful of odd metal objects like a wheel barrow or a small dog or a car, a whole bag of mixed dice of various shapes and sizes, a few marbles, a bag of wooden squares with various letters printed on them, a miniature sand hour glass which looked more like a sand minute glass and finally a small notepad of paper which looked already scribbled in a tiny bit.

But no sign of any sets of rules or full games themselves, just the odd assortment of game pieces.

The four of them "ooooh" in unison as they each went to look at a different thing.

Jaune grabbed the card deck and started shuffling idly, looking at the pictures as he did so.

Nora was just gazing at the small metal figures and aweing at how cute and small the dog was.

Ren was appreciating the miniature chess set which looked to still be in good condition.

Oscar went for the bag of dice aweing at the different intricate shapes and the pretty patterns and colors on a lot of them. Some even had more or less than 6 sides, which he didn't realize was a thing with dice.

But a particular set of 3 in the 6 sided dice hidden in the bag caught his eye and he got excited as he pulled them out, "Oh no way! I thought this was just a thing my Aunt did!" 

The three of them looked over to the 3 dice he had pulled out and saw that each of them had on all 6 of it's faces:  
1 red "R",  
1 green "L"  
1 blue "C",  
and 1 black "K" on the last 3 faces.

They all curiously looked at the dice and had no idea what the letters or colors were supposed to mean, and Jaune spoke up, "RLCK? Like Relic? I've never seen this kind of dice before, what are they used for?" 

Oscar just dug back into the box grabbing the bag of small colored chips, "Ah these are perfect we can use these to play!" looking at them excitedly, "Uh if you want I mean, I can show you, it's a really simple game so might be boring, but-"

All three cut him off curiosity dancing in their eyes, "Show us?" "Obviously!" "This could be interesting."

Oscar moved the box on the floor beside him and the others took their chosen trinkets off the table for the moment. Oscar then counted out 5 chips from the bag for each of them and handed them out as he explained. 

"So it's really very simple, the aim of the game is to be the last person with any chips left. We each take turns rolling these 3 dice, and depending on how they fall, we either keep our chips or move them in a direction to another person," Oscar held the dice and shook them, rolling them onto the table, they showed a C, R, K, "The C means I move one chip into the center, and that piece is removed from play," He slides one of his to the middle, "The R means I give one to the person on my right side, "He slides into Jaune's pile making 6, "And the K means I get to keep it." 

Then he hands the dice over to Jaune as well. "And then the next person rolls," Jaune rolled the dice and managed to hit all three as L, "Dangit," he whisper laughed as the other two giggled at Jaune sadly sliding half his pile over to Oscar on his left, and Oscar laughed and finished up, "It can start in either direction I suppose, but it always stays going that direction all around the table until the end. It works best with at least 3 people I suppose, but I usually just played with my Aunt."

Oscar kinda laughed to himself at the memory of him and his Aunt bantering back and forth, "With only 2 players left and right ends up being the same thing, so we ended up always doing this joke and we called the game 'I insist'," 

Oscar took his chips without rolling the dice and moved 1 over to Jaune, "One of us would start by giving a piece and saying "Please, I insist" and when she had one to give back she'd say 'Oh but I couldn't'," Oscar unintentionally doing an impression of his Aunt's higher voice, he could hear it clear as day, moving one back, "And then I'd be like 'Think nothing of it'," Moving his piece back to Jaune's, suddenly noticing his vision blurring, 

"And we could do that back and forth all night, just have a whole conversation trying to insist the other keeps all the chips," Oscar tried to keep his voice from breaking as the pangs of loneliness and homesickness really hit him from the unexpected find in the game pieces, and he just tried to smile it off, "I'm sorry, going on and on about my Aunt, you guys wanna play yeah?" 

Nora just jumped up and said in an overdramatic high pitched voice, "Oh please, good sir, I insist!" Sliding a chip over to him in also an overly dramatic fashion and then giggling at her own antics and infecting Oscar to also giggle, "Nora you have to roll the dice first, also it would be Ren's turn," and the other two just chuckled as Oscar reset the chips 5 each and they started over again.

Oscar went first and got CCR, he moved 2 to the center and said to Jaune, "If you'd be so kind." Moving one over to his right.

Jaune got LKR and responded, "Gentlemen, Sirs, if you would?" In his attempt at a fancy polite accent, hardly able to stop himself snickering, sliding one chip with each over to Ren and Oscar.

Ren rolled KKL and laughed back sending one back to Jaune, "Sir, I couldn't possibly." 

Nora shook out 3 K's and just paused a moment, before she yelled out, "Eat shit bitches!" Oscar sputtered into a solid laugh not expecting her response, He could feel Oz frowning and raising an eyebrow as Nora and Ren failed to keep their chuckles in. 

Even Jaune couldn't stop smirking, clearly also amused, even as he said, "Nora, language, c'mon."  
Nora just laughed out, "Fine, sorry!" and handed the dice back to Oscar.

The game continued much in the same fasion throughout the evening as they kept playing, becoming more and more dramatic and specific in their responses and the laughter slowly getting louder each time. Oz even chuckling along and feeding Oscar new things to say to continue the game.

Oscar just got lost in the evening and the hours and in their game, the hole of longing he'd felt earlier now just replaced with a cozy familiarity, the feeling of togetherness and family soaking right into his weary bones. He felt so safe and at ease with them here.

It wasn't long before felt himself nodding off and falling asleep before he could realize. Jaune only noticing when Oscar stopped just cuddling close to him and leaned his full weight into his side, slowly sliding his head into Jaune's lap, totally passed out and flopped over on the floor cushions. 

Nora just silently squealed at how cute it was as she whispered, "Cute little boy Oscar has a cute Big Brother Jaune!"

Jaune's ears just went red as he rubbed his face and whispered back, "Nora!" a little embarassed at her squealing and then a flash from the scroll, "Hey!" and one from his right, "Ren not you too!"

Ren just grinned and whispered, "My apologies but you two are in fact quite adorable."

Jaune tried to look mad at the pictures but he really wasn't, just kind of embarassed. He looked down at Oscar quietly breathing and gently rubbed his shoulder, trying to see if he would wake, but nope, Oscar was out like a light.

Jaune then slowly moved to pick him up, "Alright I'll take him to his actual bed then," and he gently lifted Oscar up by his shoulders, using his own body standing up to lay him across his chest and the picked up his legs, with one hand on his back to steady them.

Another flash and giggle from Nora as Ren quietly put all the pieces back into the game box while smiling at the picture Jaune and Oscar made.

Jaune just yell whispered back, "Hey, stop that, you're gonna wake him up if you do it too much." Nora just silently held her hand to her mouth and snorted as she waved him off upstairs.

Jaune carried the surprisingly light young man up the stairs and into his own bedroom. He gently placed him on the bed and threw a blanket over him with the practiced ease of actual big brother-ness before stopping to look at him for a moment and softly move the blanket up closer to his shoulders finally letting the worry and concern melt onto his face now that Oscar was asleep.

A flash clicked for a third time when he wasn't looking and Jaune whirled around to whisper, "Nora!-"

But only found Ren leaning against the door, scroll out and looking to be sending a text as he whispered back, "Not Nora, also sorry but not sorry. Team RWBY also agrees the pictures are adorable."

Jaune just sighed walking to the door, "You guys are so mean to me, like you would have done different if he fell asleep on you." And they both softly closed the door to the room to let Oscar sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so attached to Big Brother Jaune, truly spiritually I am Ren and Nora in this chapter.


	6. Qrow’s Attempts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Qrow has a short chat with both Oz and Oscar where he tries, by god he's trying. Oz and Oscar come to an understanding of their own that's long past overdue.

The last thing he remembers is the slowly quieting laughter of the people around him, the people he trusts. The warmth of the person next to him, the cushy pillows underneath and he slips away. His dreams and memories drift and intermingle. Smiling faces, friends sitting and talking together. People sharing jokes, two figures sitting across each other sharing food, sharing laughter, sharing love. 

The dream is hazy, but the sunlight is warm and sharp and bright, blocking out nearly everyone except himself and the other person. The wooden, no it was metal, floors felt warm-cold, so he steps outside and it’s winter on the farm. Everything he sees covered in a thin sheer expanse of white, it’s peaceful, but the sound of everyone milling about on the streets, the traffic from all of the vehicles in the roads, the bright lights from all the signs distracts him and makes him wish it was quieter. 

He’s so distracted that he doesn’t notice the person coming up behind him, whispering to him, as they hold him from behind, embracing him softly. He can’t quite make out what they’re saying, but he sinks back into the familiar feeling of their strong arms, their tall form, but they weren’t that tall. He turns away and steps back to look at them but can’t quite see their face, can’t quite make out their figure from the white and the sunlight blinding them. It’s alright though, this is someone he can trust, he knows them, he loves them. He feels relief bubble up through him as the person reaches out with their hand, towards his head.

His fingers softly moved through his hair, his face looking tired but empty.

Everything is cold, too cold, the farm was never this cold, why is it so cold?

“Ozpin,” he hears them say and suddenly his face comes into view and it’s him he’s too close. He flinches away trying to move from their grasp but the figures just leans down and gently kisses their neck. He’s frozen, he can’t move. His hands move down sliding under his shirt and up his chest and he feels sick stop this. He suddenly feels too hot instead of too cold and now nausea wells up alongside it. He struggles and tries to move away but then the figure roughly squeezes his throat and whispers to him.

“Then let's jog that memory of yours, shall we Oz?” 

He can’t move his hands anymore, he’s too close, he can’t breath, his throat hurts, everything hurts, stop it, please I’m not him, that’s not me, help me, it hurts, stop it, Ozpin!!

He snaps awake, taking control of the shaking feverish form that had fallen halfway off the bed, feeling disoriented, breaths coming quick and shaking, the wetness on his face still falling, the hot sharp pit of his stomach rising up-

He vomits onto the floor beside the bed before he can stop himself. Sharply coughing the acidic taste from his mouth as he continues to breath too quickly between coughing, almost choking, barely noticing the door crack open in front of him. The figure behind it cursing under their breath, leaving a moment to grab something before coming inside, helping him off the floor away from the mess and throwing a towel over it for now. 

Then he faces him again and speaks, rubbing his back, “Alright, take it easy kid, you need to breath a bit slower, can you do that Oscar?” 

The mention of Oscar’s name puts Ozpin back into focus, he was too caught up in the memory, in the feeling, in the fuzziness of their apparently sick and feverish body. He blinks and focuses the effort into his lungs to breath slower again, when he’s calmed down enough to speak.

“My apologies, Qrow,” and Qrow straightens, recognizing the tone and the body language as Ozpin slowly sits up. 

“Ozpin?” He asks, and Oz just nods his head. Qrow looks at him and then says, “How’s the kid doing?”

Ozpin finally looks up with a tired face and responds, “I’m not sure, It seems we weren’t having a very pleasant rest, and Oscar seems to be sick and feverish-” Qrow reaches out his hand to place it on their forehead and Oz freezes, fear spiking.

-His fingers softly moved through his hair, his face looking tired but empty.-

Oz’s hand grabs Qrow’s to stop it from touching him, at almost the same moment that Qrow pulls it back when he sees the flash of terror in his eyes. They hold for a moment, then Oz lets go when he notices Qrow can feel his hand shaking in it’s grip around his. 

Qrow just looks at Ozpin for a moment before asking, “I guess the question I should be asking is: how are you doing?” 

Ozpin breathes and tries to focus on calming feelings, “How I feel is of secondary importance, excuse me a moment, I need to check on Oscar-” 

Qrow stops him by placing both hands firmly on either side of Oz’s shoulders and looking at him right in the face. “What you need to be doing is calming down, you need to get a hold of yourself first before you go and try to speak with the kid.” 

Ozpin tries to shake his head and respond, “Oscar needs-” But Qrow cuts him off, “What Oscar needs is an adult to lean on for comfort, not an adult leaning on him for comfort.” Ozpin tenses as Qrow continues, “I know how co-dependant the both of you can get in that head of yours, but that doesn’t exactly work when one of you is a kid now does it?” 

Ozpin’s heart tightens with sudden loneliness, “I don’t really have that many options now do I? Or are you suggesting I try to seek out Leo wherever he may have fled? Or beg the gods for some sort of miracle that undoes whatever madness happened to James in Atlas?” he spat out more bitter than he intended. Qrow’s face and hands tighten on Ozpin as Ozpin in turn loosens up in his grief, his body sagging forward a bit in heartache. 

Why is he still thinking about him? Everything is a mess because he can’t stop thinking about him. It’s just causing more problems to hold onto these feelings and yet-

His thoughts don’t get to finish as Qrow surprises him by tugging him forward and hugging him, arms wrapping around and then just holding still. Qrow is quiet for a moment like he’s trying to find the right thing to say, and then just sighs, “I guess, we’ll both just have to make do with what we’ve got, huh?” Ozpin just holds him tighter, unable to stop the breath of relief he didn’t know he was holding. He's unable to stop himself from accepting the comfort he so desperately wanted and needs from Qrow. 

Neither says it out loud, but it’s already understood between them both that right now, at the moment, all they really have is each other. 

Qrow gives in and gives Oz some comfort, rubbing his hands on Oz’s back, despite his better judgement that he should be keeping him at arm’s length, until, until what? He asks himself. Regardless of anything, they were still on the same side, the one opposing Salem. They have to at least work together, they have to wrangle these groups of kids all around Remnant. So eventually they’d have to work it out with each other again. They have to, to keep each other steady.

Because without either one, the other falls apart. 

Ozpin finally speaks, “Thankyou, Qrow.” and pulls away from him. Qrow just nods and helps him up from the floor and back to sitting on the bed and Ozpin remembers the mess he made when waking up when he sees the towel. “I should clean that-” He goes down to reach for it but Qrow stops him with a hand to the shoulder, “Don’t worry about it. Just lay down and rest.” 

Qrow then goes down to grab the towel and clean what he can, as Ozpin lays back down, the dizziness catching up to him more than anything and he says again, “I’m sorry.”

Qrow just shakes his head rolls his eyes and answers, “I’m a drunk, Oz. I can handle some puke.” 

Ozpin just turns his head to face Qrow and says again, “I’m sorry, for everything.”

Qrow doesn’t answer him this time, just continues to clean what he can and then carries the towel out, stopping at the door before he leaves entirely, “You just take care of the kid.” He turns his face back slightly, and Oz thinks he sees a ghost of a smirk on his face, “And I’ll take care of you.” and then he leaves, closing the door behind him.

Ozpin lays back on the bed, the pain in his heart not entirely gone, but the sharpness of it dulled quite a bit. He doesn’t feel the greatest still, and the bed is very warm and inviting, but he doesn’t let himself be distracted. His thoughts are still entirely focused on Oscar and the guilt that once again, it was his fault. He dreamt about him, out of familiarity or loneliness he knows not, but when they dream, sometimes they dream together, and, it turned into that. 

Breathing deeply again, to focus on Oscar, focus on calmness as he sinks inside himself once more-

-He walks forward but falters that the curtain he sees and feels has become somewhat thicker, less transparent than before, and he can no longer see clearly the details of the figure crouched on the other side. Can no longer tell what expression is on his face. But he doesn’t need to see it to feel what it must be like. Their connection still thrums with emotion. Icy Terror. Sweltering Nausea. Swirling Desperation. But also images this time. Thoughts and memories. Repeating over and over. His aunt on the farm, working the fields, sunset dinners, wooden floors. Playing games, cooking food, chopping wood. Over and Over. Cyclical as the seasons. 

Other memories would swirl in occasionally, ones that Ozpin recognized clearer, metal walls, large crowds, a man’s embrace- but they would be ripped away, slashed from the connection. And he would share in the hurt. And he feels foreign memories reinforced again. He’s like tea, he never liked hot chocolate. His skin is sunburnt and not pale. He was no headmaster and he absolutely does not remember what his desk looked like. Ozpin faltered as he realized the fear was multiple in nature. Not only of him, but the memories of him, from before, they mixed together as they do in a person of one mind. That’s why the curtain was really here isn’t it? To draw some sort of line between Him and the Other. 

Ozpin knows his attempt may be shunned, and he stutters himself to draw upon that old memory, but he wills himself to think of that time, of when he was still singular in being. Ozma’s memory of the deal made. And he hears the words of that immortal being once more flow through the connection. Echoing as it passes through-

-Until your task is complete, you will reincarnate-

And icy terror again viciously rips away the thought, the memory, thrumming into itself like a wave, growing stronger, but Oz continues

-But in a manner that ensures you are never alone.-

The terror falters a second as Ozpin flashes his own memories, the same kind over and over, but different each time. A new face, a voice in his head, a guiding soul of another, eternal company, regardless if it was wanted or not, entire lives spent in echo. Always… two of them? Their whole lives?

He feels the question rumble through the connection as the figure behind the curtain moves closer slowly. 

-But when does the merger happen? When do I stop being able to speak up, to ask questions, when does two voices become one?-

The figure reaches up a shaking, almost willing to move through the curtain

-When will I be silenced forever?-

Ozpin reaches a hand forward, and offers back the answer.

-You will always be able speak, as will I. Neither of our voices will ever be silenced. For the God of Light promised few things, but he did promise I would never be alone-

Oscar stands before him, near the curtain’s edge, so close, almost there.

-And so neither will you. For if you disappear entirely, then I will be alone-

Ozpin feels the frazzled braids of high strung emotions slowly unravel into smoother threads of relief and sadness. 

-You won’t disappear Oscar, no matter how much you become like me, or rather, how much each of us becomes like the other-

Ozpin then takes a daring step forward past the curtain slightly to hold Oscar in a hug and speak clearly into his mind. 

-I can’t say that who you are won’t change, that you won’t share more and more things in common with me as time passes, but the same is true for me as well. The more you remember things of mine, the more I remember things of yours. You won’t forget your Aunt or the farm- And Oscar holds Ozpin tighter and his lungs shake to hold back sobs, -And you won’t ever stop being able to speak or ask questions or stop existing. We will never simply become one person, even if the colors of our souls and memories bleed so much through our connection, even if we lose our differences, the proof of us being separate beings, the closest we will ever become is much like identical twins, not ever a single individual-

Oscar looks up and speaks his fear of losing his own self finally being voiced, -You promise I won’t lose myself?-

Ozpin smiles and holds him closer, allowing memories of the final moments of his past selves flow through Oscar. Showing the same scene, over and over, two identical souls parting ways, one passing through a gate to the afterlife, as was always meant to be. The other, Ozma, being denied that gate and instead being thrust upon another new soul. 

-It’s not I who promised, but the God of Light himself. We will NEVER be alone-

Oscar holds them tighter as they feel their hands move and he opens his eyes, still feeling shaken, but the presence in the back of his mind feels more of a comfort now than ever, instead of a foreboding doom, waiting to eat his consciousness like a demon. He hears Ozpin speak in his mind as he feels his regret.

-I’m sorry, I misunderstood the nature of your fear. I thought it was simply the fear of becoming someone like me, not a fear of losing yourself entirely-

Oscar just nods, he does feel relief of that part, a lingering fear remains and he can’t help but voice it, “Am I…. going to have all your memories of..him?” He feels sickness well up inside him again as the memories of that person conflict with the dual feelings they both have for him. 

Oz doesn’t respond at first struggling with the memory as much as Oscar is, but then finally says, “In the library of my mind there are many books, just because they exist, doesn’t mean you have to read them.” Oscar doesn’t feel at ease from that, knowing that they’re there and will come up again. But Oz stops that thought as well, “As for the dream, I was, being careless with my own feelings of loneliness.” Oscar feels a foreign resolve flow him as Oz speaks again, “I swear, that will not happen again.” Feelings of disgust flow from both of them, laced with fear from one and anger from the other, as they instead remember the man’s dying actions. Oscar shakes as his fear intertwines with his bitterness, “The person in my memories was clearly dead before I ever shot him.” Oz could feel the shaking and the memory of his hand on his head through his hair and quickly shut it down again, “That’s enough though, no more of this, I promise.” Oscar feels a ghostly sensation of his soul being enveloped by a soft comfort and ease, trying to soothe the swirling rollercoaster of emotions he’s been through. “I will always be here for you. Always.” 

Oscar just tries to blink away the memories, knowing it was just a dream and trying to instead focus on the relief of his other fear finally being resolved. One shaking hand covering another. Before more insecurity bubbles up in the form of a question, “Isn’t this just going to hold the rest of the team back? That I can’t fight, that I couldn’t, I couldn’t do anything, I-” but before his anxiety can fully bubble up, Qrow has opened the door and walked back into the room, with a glass of water and looked up in surprise. 

“I thought you were going back to bed Oz?” But as he sees the body language of the kid blink up at him and slowly uncurl, he blinks in understanding and he speaks again, “Oh kiddo, are you alright? Uhh, here, drink this, you’ll feel better.” As he hands over the glass of water to Oscar, who takes it and drinks realizing how thirsty he feels. He’d meant to leave it on the table for when he woke up again, but oh well, he’s here now. When Oscar finishes it quickly Qrow just speaks again, “If your uh, feeling better then, you should probably try to keep sleeping, it’s still late after all.” Qrow once again feels an instinctive urge to ruffle the kid’s hair to make him at ease, but decides against it remembering how Oz had reacted. 

Oscar just tries to laugh it off a bit, “Uh yeah, gotta make up for time lost to nightmares I guess.” 

Which just makes the paternal instinct in Qrow flare up a bit as he responds, his gaze looking softer, “Listen, if you need to talk to a person about stuff who isn’t Oz, you can talk to me. Whatever it is, I can handle it, trust me.” 

Oscar just looks down and fiddles with the glass as he feels everything bubbling up again, knowing nobody knows what happened, they’re all just freaking out over him and they don’t know why, how is he supposed to tell them!? 

He tries to speak again to respond with something to Qrow, but Qrow sees the stress creep up on Oscar’s face and says, “But uh, don’t think about that now though, think about it later, for now just sleep.” Qrow goes to leave before he can freak the kid out further. 

Oscar can feel a pang of loneliness that’s not entirely his own and he speaks quickly without thinking, “Can you stay until we fall asleep again?” his face flushing red. 

Oscar barely has time to feel embarrassed at the thought that he said something he hasn’t said to an adult in years, before Qrow stops and turns around, sitting on the clean part of the floor next to the bed, glancing at how embarrassed the kid looks before looking away from his direction. He just smiles to himself and acts as nonchalant about the request as he can. “Sure thing. I’ll be right here.” For both of you, Qrow thinks to himself. Not acknowledging out loud that Oscar had said “we” and not just “I” earlier in his request. 

No more words are said in the quiet night, and the two in the room barely seem to acknowledge the other, but Oscar does feel comforted by Qrow’s presence, as embarrassing as it is to admit to himself. But his embarrassment lessons a little bit as he realizes Ozpin feels the same relief in Qrow being here as well. Qrow, of course, is kind enough to act as though this was the most natural thing in the world, and he guesses to him it must be, since he’s Ruby’s uncle, so he must have done this sort of thing for Ruby, just as his Aunt did for him when he was younger. His thoughts drift back to his aunt as he falls asleep. Back to the farm and the warmth of the summers, the smell of familiar foods, the soft yet prickling piles of hay he always used to lay on when he was tired. In the blurriness of the dream a new figure was here though.

Oz as he lay drifting alongside Oscar could only chuckle to himself as the imagery of Oscar’s dream floated through him this time. A scarecrow on a farm isn't an unusual sight after all, but what was quite unusual was the image of Qrow, his clothes stuffed full of straw and pinned to a post in the field, flailing his limbs and yelling at flocks of tiny nevermores attacking the fields. Sometimes responding to the bickering of the woman from inside the farm telling him to keep his voice down he's giving her a headache with the ScareQrow only responding he wouldn’t have to yell if he could just use his scythe to chase away the feathery flocks. The dream flickered and changed form as a child stepped up to heroically chase the flocks away, with Qrow having jumped down to his side to keep his back safe, before the two of them entered the farm and a deeper sleep faded through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick short one between Qrow and Oz and Oscar showing snippets of their relationship as a trio. It was hard to really get a handle on how the three would interact so this one took a bit longer than I thought it would. 
> 
> I mean, Oz is clearly OzDad to Oscar, and Oscar is comfortable and fine with that notion, since he can kinda feel it as his own anyway, they see eachother as a sort of family but also as eachother. It's weird, but theyre family, in whatever way. 
> 
> Qrow and Oz, there's a closeness there, of two people truly alone in the world, desperately holding onto the other for stability and while I STILL haven't decided if Clover is dead yet, I have decided that if he is alive, he isn't here. He's in Atlas, and while lingering feelings may remain, there's an understanding that they can't be together. Clover can't leave Atlas anymore than Qrow can stay in Atlas. So they parted ways, so there's still this loneliness and heartache that I can draw from, But I don't know yet how further it dips into grief. 
> 
> and then with Qrow and Oscar, Qrow obviously has the natural instincts of dadness or at least cool uncle-ness coming from him, and he's clearly amused by the traits of Ruby he can see in Oscar, and while it's tempting to write them as really close and Oscar as very child like and dependent on Qrow, Oscar really isn't THAT young, his reaction towards displays of paternity from people who aren't Ozpin is still likely to be embarrassment over anything else, despite how much he's glad Qrow is there for him. So he ends up mixing the idea of his Aunt and Uncle Qrow out of homesickness and as something better to focus on instead of what his dream was like in the beginning. And Qrow still has an awkwardness of not knowing exactly how to approach either Oscar or Ozpin about stuff yet, so he doesn't come off as perfectly smooth/knowing the perfect thing to say yet anyway. Despite that he does care about both of them, truly, deeply inside he does. So this chapter is his honest attempts haha. 
> 
> Oscar and Ozpin also come to a long overdue understanding of something, their merger. This one I didn't mind resolving quicker than his other problems because it IS something that has a clear answer, and it is something Ozpin might not have known to clear up earlier until now, because while distinct, the idea of "I'm becoming like this person" and "I'm losing my own self to them entirely" could be easily mistaken if you're only interpreting it from the feeling of fear it gives. But now that Ozpin knew it was one of Oscar's fears, he wastes no time in clearing it up as clearly as possible, because, god, if he can't help with any of Oscar's fears of Ironwood, he can at least remove this one from his plate as soon as he can. 
> 
> And I do believe that this is how the merge is supposed to work. Gods don't mince words. Ozpin will NEVER be alone. Meaning, the people he merges with can't disappear entirely. And since the merger is always shown as Ozma and the person essentially becoming eachother, and sharing the same model but with one as a sort of ghost, it must mean their souls change to become twins of each other, but never disappear or merge like that. At least until death, in which case Ozma's original soul continues to reincarnate and the new Soul dies upon death as is natural. So Ozma accumulates experiences and memories, and becomes like each of his incarnations, but he isn't literally 50 bajillion souls in one body. Ozpin and Ozma are entirely different people afterall still. 
> 
> People say Ozma's first incarnation was overwritten, but he really wasn't. We see Ozma speak in his mind, the eyes flash, and them together not knowing who they are, and then later, we see Ozma questioned by his reflection, the new soul guy he merged with and he asks "what are we doing?" so even much much later, that guy still existed. He didn't get pulled into Oz, but Ozma became more like him, Ozma becomes more like all of his incarnations. So Ozma will become more like Oscar, not the other way around. But its easy to see where the misunderstanding comes from.
> 
> And don't worry! Weiss will be next I have not ignored your pleas, My brain just can't seem to hold onto the idea that these interactions should be spaced out and not happening literally one right after another....
> 
> My original idea was for all of this to be happening in disconnected time with an indeterminate time frame happening between interactions But I guess this entire story taking place over the span of roughly 3 or 4 days isn't terrible either. *shrug* OH WELL can only corral the plot bunnies so far


End file.
